Personality theories

PERSONALITYPERSONALITY

Personality can be defined as a Personality can be defined as a dynamic and organized set of dynamic and organized set of characteristics possessed by a characteristics possessed by a person that uniquely influences his or person that uniquely influences his or her cognitions, motivations, and her cognitions, motivations, and behaviors in various situations. The behaviors in various situations. The word "personality" originates from word "personality" originates from the Latin persona, which means the Latin persona, which means mask. mask.

Theories of PersonalityTheories of Personality

1. Trait Theories

2. Psychoanalytic Theory

3. Social-Cognitive Theories

4. Humanistic Theories

5. Behavioral Personality Theory

Trait Theories: Attempt to learn what traits make up personality

and how they relate to actual behavior

Psychodynamic Theories: Focus on the inner workings of

personality, especially internal conflicts and struggles

Humanistic Theories: Focus on private, subjective experience

and personal growth

Social-Cognitive Theories: Attribute difference in personality to

socialization, expectations, and mental processes

Types of Personality Types of Personality TheoriesTheories

Part 1Trait Theories

Carl Jung, Swiss psychiatrist who was a Freudian disciple,

believed that we are one of two personality types:

• Introvert: Shy, self-centered person whose attention is

focused inward

• Extrovert: Bold, outgoing person whose attention is directed

outward

Jung’s Theory of Two Jung’s Theory of Two TypesTypes

Eysenck’s Three Factor Eysenck’s Three Factor TheoryTheory

Hans Eysenck, English psychologist, believed that there are three fundamental factors in personality:

• Introversion versus Extroversion

• Emotionally Stable versus Unstable (neurotic)

• Impulse Control versus Psychotic

Eysenck’s Theory, Eysenck’s Theory, continuedcontinued

The first two factors create 4 combinations, related to the four basic temperaments recognized by ancient Greeks:

• Melancholic (introverted + unstable): sad, gloomy

• Choleric (extroverted + unstable): hot-tempered, irritable

• Phlegmatic (introverted + stable): sluggish, calm

• Sanguine (extroverted + stable): cheerful, hopeful

Raymond Cattell: from Devon, England, believed that there

were two basic categories of traits:

• Surface Traits: Features that make up the visible areas

of personality• Source Traits: Underlying characteristics of a

personality

Cattell: Source & Cattell: Source & Surface TraitsSurface Traits

Cattell: The Big FiveCattell: The Big Five

Cattell believed that five factors were most important:

Openness

Conscientiousness

Extraversion

Agreeable

Neuroticism

The Big Five

Emotional Stability

Extraversion

Openness

Agreeableness

Conscientiousness

• Calm/Anxious• Secure/Insecure

• Sociable/Retiring• Fun Loving/Sober

• Imaginative/Practical• Independent/Conforming

• Soft-Hearted/Ruthless• Trusting/Suspicious

• Organized/Disorganized• Careful/Careless

Psychoanalytic Psychoanalytic Perspective Of Perspective Of

PersonalityPersonality

SIGMUND FREUDSIGMUND FREUD

Role of ConsciousnessRole of Consciousness

• Unconscious: Unconscious: The unconscious is understood to be the large part of the The unconscious is understood to be the large part of the

mind, which is hidden from view.mind, which is hidden from view. • Pre-conscious:Pre-conscious: The pre-conscious is represented by the waterline - but it is The pre-conscious is represented by the waterline - but it is

the zone in which there are fleeting glimpses of the the zone in which there are fleeting glimpses of the unconscious, "flickering" across the screen of unconscious, "flickering" across the screen of consciousness.consciousness.  

• Conscious:Conscious: The relatively small part which sticks of the The relatively small part which sticks of the

water is seen as equivalent to the small amount water is seen as equivalent to the small amount of conscious awareness that the human of conscious awareness that the human experiences. experiences. 

Model Of PersonalityModel Of Personality

Elements Of Personality (Freud’s Elements Of Personality (Freud’s View):View):

• The IdThe Id

• The EgoThe Ego

• The SuperegoThe Superego

Freud’s Topographical Freud’s Topographical Model of PersonalityModel of Personality

IDID

• Primary component of personalityPrimary component of personality• Pleasure principlePleasure principle• Strives for immediate satisfaction of Strives for immediate satisfaction of

all desires, needs, wantsall desires, needs, wants• For example, if an infant feels For example, if an infant feels

hungry, he will cry till his want is hungry, he will cry till his want is satisfied.satisfied.

• ID fails result in tension,anxietyID fails result in tension,anxiety

EGOEGO

• Responsible for dealing with realityResponsible for dealing with reality• Reality principle weighs the cost of Reality principle weighs the cost of

doing or abandoning somethingdoing or abandoning something• Discharges tension by finding the Discharges tension by finding the

object in the real world created by object in the real world created by Id.Id.

SUPER EGOSUPER EGO

• Holds of our internalized moral Holds of our internalized moral standards that we acquire from standards that we acquire from parents, society.parents, society.

• Has two parts:-Has two parts:-1.1.The ego IdealThe ego IdealGood BehaviorsGood Behaviors

1.1.The ConscienceThe ConscienceBad BehaviorsBad Behaviors

Defense MechanismsDefense Mechanisms

• A defense mechanism is a tactic A defense mechanism is a tactic developed by the ego to protect developed by the ego to protect against anxiety. Defense against anxiety. Defense mechanisms are thought to mechanisms are thought to safeguard the mind against feelings safeguard the mind against feelings and thoughts that are too difficult and thoughts that are too difficult for the conscious mind to cope with. for the conscious mind to cope with.

• RepressionRepression The removal of threatening thoughts from awareness; The removal of threatening thoughts from awareness; • ProjectionProjection The attribution of unacceptable impulses to others; The attribution of unacceptable impulses to others; • DenialDenial The refusal to recognize a threatening situation or thought; The refusal to recognize a threatening situation or thought; • RationalizationRationalization Giving a reasonable explanation for an event; Giving a reasonable explanation for an event; • RegressionRegression The return to a less mature, anxiety reducing behaviour; The return to a less mature, anxiety reducing behaviour; • Reaction formationReaction formation The expression of the opposite of disturbing ideas; The expression of the opposite of disturbing ideas; • DisplacementDisplacement Substituting a less threatening object for impulses; Substituting a less threatening object for impulses; • SublimationSublimation The channeling of impulses to socially acceptable outlets. The channeling of impulses to socially acceptable outlets.

Personality developmentPersonality development

• Freud advanced a theory of personality Freud advanced a theory of personality development that centered on the development that centered on the effects of the sexual pleasure drive on effects of the sexual pleasure drive on the individual psyche. At particular the individual psyche. At particular points in the developmental process, he points in the developmental process, he claimed, a single body part is claimed, a single body part is particularly sensitive to sexual, erotic particularly sensitive to sexual, erotic stimulation. These stimulation. These erogenous zoneserogenous zones are the mouth, the anus, and the are the mouth, the anus, and the genital region.genital region.

• The The Oedipus complexOedipus complex, in psychoanalytic , in psychoanalytic theory, is a group of largely unconscious theory, is a group of largely unconscious (dynamically repressed) ideas and feelings (dynamically repressed) ideas and feelings which centre around the desire to possess which centre around the desire to possess the parent of the opposite sex and the parent of the opposite sex and eliminate the parent of the same sex. eliminate the parent of the same sex. According to classical theory, the complex According to classical theory, the complex appears during the so-called 'oedipal appears during the so-called 'oedipal phase' of libidinal and ego development; phase' of libidinal and ego development; i.e. between the ages of three and five, i.e. between the ages of three and five, though oedipal manifestations may be though oedipal manifestations may be detected earlier. detected earlier.

Part 3Social-Cognitive Theories

Self-system: the set of cognitive processes by which a person observes, evaluates, and regulates his/her behavior. Bandura proposed that what we think of as personality is a product of this self-system.

Children observe behavior of models (such as parents) in their social environment. Particularly if they are reinforced, children will imitate these behaviors, incorporating them into personality.

Bandura also proposed that people observe their own behavior and judge its effectiveness. Self-efficacy: a judgment of one’s effectiveness in dealing with particular situations.

Bandura’s TheoryBandura’s Theory

Julian Rotter: American psychologist, began as a Freudian! His personality theory combines learning principles, modeling, cognition, and the effects of social relationships

External locus of control: perception that chance or external forces beyond personal control determine one’s fate

Internal locus of control: perception that you control your own fate.

Learned Helplessness: a sense of hopelessness in which a person thinks that he/she is unable to prevent aversive events

Rotter’s Theory ofRotter’s Theory ofLocus of ControlLocus of Control

Part 4Part 4Humanistic TheoriesHumanistic Theories

Humanism: Approach that focuses on human experience,

problems, potentials, and ideals

Human Nature: Traits, qualities, potentials, and behavior

patterns most characteristic of humans

Free Choice: Ability to choose that is NOT controlled by

genetics, learning, or unconscious forces

Subjective Experience: Private perceptions of reality

HumanismHumanism

Maslow’s TheoryMaslow’s Theory

• Abraham Maslow is considered father of Abraham Maslow is considered father of the humanistic movement. He observed the humanistic movement. He observed the lives of (purportedly) healthy and the lives of (purportedly) healthy and creative people to develop is theory.creative people to develop is theory.

• Hierarchy of needs:Hierarchy of needs: the motivational the motivational component of Maslow’s theory, in which component of Maslow’s theory, in which our innate needs, which motivate our our innate needs, which motivate our actions, are hierarchically arranged.actions, are hierarchically arranged.

• Self-actualization:Self-actualization: the fullest realization the fullest realization of a person’s potentialof a person’s potential

Graphic: Hierarchy of Graphic: Hierarchy of NeedsNeeds

• Efficient perceptions of reality• Comfortable acceptance of self, others, and nature• Spontaneity• Task Centering• Autonomy• Continued freshness of appreciation• Fellowship with humanity• Profound interpersonal relationships• Comfort with solitude• Non-hostile sense of humor• Peak experiences

Characteristics of Characteristics of Self-Actualized PeopleSelf-Actualized People

Carl Rogers: American psychologist; believed that personality formed as a result of our strivings to reach our full human potential.

Fully Functioning Person: Lives in harmony with his/her deepest feelings and impulses

Self-Image: Total subjective perception of your body and personality

Conditions of Worth: behaviors and attitudes for which other people, starting with our parents, will give us positive regard.

Unconditional Positive Regard: Unshakable love and approval

Positive Self-Regard: Thinking of oneself as a good, lovable, worthwhile person

Carl Roger’s Self Carl Roger’s Self TheoryTheory

5Behavioral Personality Theory

Behavioral Personality Behavioral Personality TheoryTheory

Behavioral theories suggest that Behavioral theories suggest that personality is a result of interaction personality is a result of interaction between the individual and the between the individual and the environment. Behavioral theorists environment. Behavioral theorists study observable and measurable study observable and measurable behaviors, rejecting theories that behaviors, rejecting theories that take internal thoughts and feelings take internal thoughts and feelings into account. into account.

B. F. Skinner's Theory of B. F. Skinner's Theory of BehaviorBehavior

• Skinner's theory is based on Skinner's theory is based on operant conditioningoperant conditioning, , which means when the organism is operating on the which means when the organism is operating on the environments, the organism will encounter a special environments, the organism will encounter a special kind of reinforcing stimulus or simply a kind of reinforcing stimulus or simply a reinforcementreinforcement. .

• Reinforcement increases a behavior and punishment Reinforcement increases a behavior and punishment decreases or ends it.decreases or ends it.

•M shahbaz ali sukheraM shahbaz ali sukhera•Bs psychology g.c university Bs psychology g.c university

lahore pakistanlahore pakistan